Taboo
by OfficiallyNonOfficial
Summary: Tori withered against her, the sensitive flesh just behind her ear caught between the Latina's teeth.  An eruption of white behind closed eyes-  God, this girl was going to kill her and she was going to let her.  Gladly.
1. It's Funny How The World Works

It had to be the lamest, corniest joke she had ever heard in her life. Seriously. She'd heard better from 4th graders at the park. But the smiling woman in front of her was gorgeous, smart, and funny in her own right. So she threw her head back and laughed and received a soft, genuine smile in return. They both knew it was a horrible joke.

"That was terrible."

"No," Tori shook her head, dazed by the woman's eyes. The were a rare a shade, a shade that looked impossibly light, and at the same time dark as pitch in the dim light of the smoky bar. She couldn't help but be mesmerized by them. Tori felt her face split into a smile of her own. She absolutely loved talking to this woman.

"Come on. Don't lie to me. It was horrible."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "No, really... Okay," she chuckled, feeling slightly guilty, "it was horrible."

The woman's laughter was warm and soft, like the tinkling of a chime in the wind. It was pleasant, and it sent warm tingles down her spine.

They couldn't have known each other for more than a few weeks. They'd met here at the bar by accident, got to talking, and suddenly Tori found herself sitting here at this exact same table once a week waiting anxiously for her to arrive. Not only was she stunning, but also different, unique and she looked forward to their nocturnal encounters. They were a sort of escape for her, one she welcomed.

"What do you do for a living?" Tori asked. Up until now, their conversations were light, funny, random, sad, political, religious- anything and everything under the sun. Except for personal. She wanted to get to know her better.

"I work with kids." She answered easily, though her eyes seemed a bit... guarded.

"Like a teacher or CPS?" Tori felt herself stiffen slightly. Not that she had any reason to, but she'd never been a big fan of authority figures, they'd done nothing but make her already crappy life even more miserable.

"More like a babysitter. What about you? What do you do for a living?"

"I do a few things here and there." She said vaguely. It didn't take a genius to know that response was less than stellar, but it was better than the truth. Tori wasn't quiet ready to reveal that kind of information. Mostly because she really liked her.

"So, Tori, can I get you a drink?"

She smiled appreciatively, glad she knew how to take a hint. Tori liked to think she was a master when it came to guarding her emotions- with years of practice, who wouldn't be?- but sometimes the cracks in her mask shone through.

"I'd love one. But I have to go to the bathroom." She stood, grabbing her handbag from the back of the chair. "You order them and I'll be right back?"

A smile. "I'm not going anywhere."

Tori grinned and waved a goodbye before making her way to the back of the bar. She brushed past few drunken patrons and laughed at the skimpy blonde keeled over her herself projectile vomiting by the back entrance.

Pushing the the bathroom door open, she made sure no one was inside -in spite of the multiple stalls- before locking the door and heading to the mirror.

Her dark curls hung lazily past her shoulders, framing her face in an attractive yet still classy way. Tonight she'd decided to dress conservatively and went with a black sleeveless, a leather jacket, a pair of white skinny jeans, and gray Converse. She'd learned by the second date that her moonlight companion wasn't the type to be impressed by flashy outfits and jewelery. She didn't, however, care much to change her make up. A dash of eyeliner, a bit of mascara and eyeshadow. She looked good if she said so herself.

"A date, huh? Is that what this is?" She smiled at the thought of a date with the mysterious woman. She wouldn't be opposed to the idea.

Tori caught sight of her reflection. Her dark eyes were impenetrable, even to herself sometimes. Her lips twitched, a frown forming immediately.

Despite having a good time at the moment, her life was far from the fairy tale she wanted it to be. On a good day she was lucky if she made it home without the oh so pleasurable company of a cop, handcuffs slapped on her wrists. She wasn't a bad person, really, but she had a tendency to hang with the wrong crowd. It wasn't her fault, but she'd rather sleep inside a prison cell than go home most nights. Her father, an ex policemen, had a problem with pain medication. He'd become addicted after an accident that blew out his knee. He wasn't the same man he used to be. Sometimes it was like he wasn't even her father but some stranger with a bad temper sitting in that house. Her mother, well she was a lost cause from the beginning and the only reason her father stayed with her was because of her and her sister.

Trina was lucky enough to get out, though. She wasn't. The older girl had left with her boyfriend years ago. They were going to live the dream she'd said, packing plastic trash bags full of clothes one night, tossing them out the window so Ryder could stuff them into his old, beat up Toyota.

She never heard from her again. That was more than four years ago.

Tori stared herself down, lost deep in thought when someone knocked gently on the door.

"Tori? Are you okay?"

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Tori forced a smile on her face before reaching over and unlocking the door. "Hey you." She greeted, her voice a bit rough, as if she'd been crying. Maybe she had. Things like that seemed to escape her notice.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. You were taking so long."

Checking her watch, the Latina grimaced. A whole ten minutes had gone by. "I'm sorry. I lost track of time."

"Are you okay?" The woman asked, concern etched on her features.

Closing the small distance between them, Tori took her hands, offering a small smirk before claiming her lips in a small kiss. Small, but it still made her unsteady on her feet. Still made her heart race and her knees week and her breath hitch and her chest constrict and all these other little things that made her want to stay in this bar forever.

"I'm fine now."

Taking her hand, they made their way back to their table where two fruity looking drinks sat waiting for them. Tori immediately missed the warmth of her hand as they separated to claim their individual seats. She took a sip from her drink, her mind not quite done wandering.

'So I was thinking, and feel free to say no, if maybe..."

"Maybe what?" She coaxed, very aware of the blush creeping up her companion's pale skin. Crimson looked lovely on her cheeks, really.

"Well, see, I wanted to know if maybe you'd like to have lunch with me." She stuttered, looking away when she finished.

Tori felt her lips lilt upwards, something that seemed to happen a lot around here. She could tell she was nervous- her cheeks were red, eyes dodgy, hands sweating. Really, she didn't look the type to get nervous. She was flattered.

"I'd really like that."

Her lips split into a grin a mile wide. "Awesome."

Tori laughed at the sound of relief in her voice. "Wow. Do you always get so wound up?" She asked playfully, aware of the double meaning to her question.

The woman was no fool. She caught on quickly. "Only around you.

Tori meant to speak. She meant to tell her exactly what was on her mind. But she couldn't. Not yet. Years of bad experiences left her guarded- her defenses were her only means of control in her crazy, chaotic world.

"Lis-"

A ring tone blasted from the woman's breast pocket. She offered an apologetic grimace as she snatched it up. "Please tell me you dialed the wrong number."

Tori sighed. The night was over. She wasn't ready for it to be over but a phone call usually meant she had to go. She watched her pull out her wallet and take out a few bills. "I'm so sorry, Tori, really. I didn't mean for this-"

"Go," she waved her off, "It's no problem." A skeptical brow. "Really," she smiled, getting up to hug her. "I had fun tonight."

"Me too... How does Italian sound? Saturday night? My treat."

"That sounds an awful lot like a date." She found herself indulging in the taste of strawberry lip gloss as she was kissed. She sighed when it was over, their foreheads pressed together. Parting really was such sweet sorrow.

"Do you want it to be?"

"I'd like that."

They shared a few more words, and Tori resisted the urge to end the night with an impromptu make out session in the back of her car. If she had anything to say, they would be doing a lot of that in the future. The near future hopefully.

Now that her companion was gone Tori didn't really see the point in hanging around the bar any longer. Once upon a time it had been a place she looked forward to coming to- meeting new people, scoring free drinks, maybe even finding someone to shack with for the night. Things had changed thanks to a wonderfully insightful woman.

The thought of her alone was enough to make her want to go home, prepared to face anything the world threw her way because she would see her again this week.

They were strange, these feelings. Most of her life was spent being hurt by the people she trusted most. She'd learned a long time ago that expectations were almost always likely to end badly. Relying on people always led to disappointment, and getting attached would only lead to misery when the promise of forever actually meant only until they got bored.

Tori was no stranger to any of these things. Yet she found herself daydreaming about the woman, wondering what it would be like to spend every waking hour with her, waking up beside her, laying in bed talking about stupid, trivial little matters like they did at the bar.

There was no denying it- she'd fallen for her nightly company, she'd fallen hard. It was strange, strange because they'd only just met, yet there was something powerfully compelling about her. She just couldn't help it.

Tori grabbed her purse, ready to call it a night.

Suddenly the front door of the bar slammed open. Two officers flashed their lights into the bar as a third barked orders for the music to stop and the lights to turn up.

"We got a tip," the female officer announced, eyes scanning the crowd until they rested on Tori. "There's a minor on the premises.

Her heart sank. This couldn't be happening. Not when things were starting to look up...

* * *

><p>Tori growled in frustration, rolling her eyes as she listened to the same bullshit she'd heard a million times over. They said the exact same crap each and every time, and each and every time they said it was that much harder not to headbutt the monotonous, brainless cops in the damn face.<p>

She didn't need assaulting an officer added to the long list of crimes under her name. The officer leading her into the building was pleasant enough were it not for the fact that she wouldn't shut up. Didn't they have some kind of rule against this?

She sighed. This was her last strike. Underage drinking at an establishment for patrons 21 and older. It wasn't that big of a deal, not to her anyway but apparently the judge frowned upon that. She was certain she would be spending the next year in a juvenile correctional facility and a few more in prison after that.

Must be her lucky day. The arresting officer suggested something a little less dramatic and a little more productive. Was she grateful? Not in the least. The bitch shouldn't have arrested her in the first place. It wasn't like she was causing trouble, she was headed home before they decided to rain on her parade. It was such a good night, too.

The officer side glanced at her every few seconds. It was beginning to bother her.

"What?"

"You didn't get the booze all by yourself. If you would have told the judge who got it for you, you wouldn't be here right now."

Tori shrugged. "I'm not a snitch."

The officer scoffed. "Obviously."

The Latina felt her words hit like a physical blow. "I take it you've read through my file." It wasn't a question.

A nod. "Possession, hiding your boyfriend from the police, acting as an accomplice, stealing, running away from home. That's a pretty impressive rapsheet for a 17 year old girl."

"l try."

"I don't get it. I know you're a good kid."

Tori snorted. "Now I know you're crazy."

The officer chuckled, tucking a strand of velvet red hair into her hat. "Come on, Tori, I've spoken to your teachers. You have straight A's, you're a class favorite. Your music teacher said you have the voice of angel- what gives?"

She remained quiet for a bit, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the halls. "I like school." She said finally, sounding dejected.

The officer seemed to want to say something before her attention turned to the door they'd come to stop at. "Here we are." She said enthusiastically. She did not miss the way the brunette rolled her eyes. "Listen, Tori, I don't know what's going on with you, but I do know you need to get your act together. You're such a beautiful, intelligent young woman. Don't throw that away." She rapped on the door a few times before cracking it open and sticking her head inside. "You're gonna like this one, she's spunky." Turning to Tori once more, she offered the frowning brunette her hand. "Officer Cat Valentine. If you ever need anything look for me. That girl in there, she's going to take care of you. She's my best friend."

Tori found herself warming up to the cop. Sure, she busted her, but she was only doing her job. The same as anyone else.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked once on the door and mentally steeled herself for another one of those annoying 'this is your last hope' talks. They just didn't get it- the cops, the probation officers, the judges? They just didn't get that she really didn't have any last hope. She would be better off in prison. They thought they were giving her another chance. What they were really giving her was another broken rib, another slap to the face.

"Come in."

The universe must REALLY hate her...

She didn't walk in. She fucking barged in! She literally barreled through the door, nearly knocking it off its hinges catching the probation officer off guard.

"What the hell-"

"JADE?"

Shit, shit, shit, shit, fucking shit!

Her eyes widened in horror, her mouth hanging open as she found herself gawking at the woman from the bar- the one who made her heart race, the one that made her palms sweat, the one that made her nervous in that good kind of way. The one she'd kissed and touched and asked out on a date...

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." Jade whispered, emerald eyes fierce, sharp. "Really, you're fucking kidding me."

* * *

><p><strong>An: S'up homies? Official here. Yup, another story, just cus I can. :D Nah, Idk, I was asleep, I woke up suddenly, grabbed my laptop, and started typing away. At 4:15 in the freaking morning. <strong>

**After more than a few drinks... **

**ouch... headache...**

**Anyway, I know it's a bit -or a lot!- AU but I would really appreciate some feedback. Should I see this through? Or should I write it off as some horrible drunken monstrosity that should have never seen the light of day? I can kill it you know. Use holywater or something. Maybe a stake. **


	2. The Noose Just Got Tighter

_Jade sighed, exhausted, as she pulled into the driveway of her home. A white Sentra was parked alongside the curb, the living room lights spilling through the open windows..._

_Beck must have gotten the night off. _

_Grabbing her jacket, she climbed out of car and slammed the door shut, draping the warm leather over her shoulders in a weak attempt to cover herself up. The last thing she expected tonight was Beck's call. She was having so much fun at the bar with Tori, he never even crossed her mind._

"_Look Beck, whatever it is, can it wait until tomorrow? I'm really...tired..." She started, then promptly fell silent._

"_Hey Jade." He stepped out from behind the counter, two wine glasses in hand. He flashed her a lopsided smile as he took in her reaction._

_The table was set with a white cloth, two plates filled with spaghetti sitting on either side. A large bottle of champagne sat in the center beside a vase of white and red roses, a few crimson petals scattered around the table while a multitude of candles lit up the dining area. _

"_Beck... what is this?" She whispered in wonder._

_Beck set the glasses down. "I thought we could have dinner." _

_Jade lifted a brow, the corner of her mouth twitching. "At midnight?"_

_He looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. "A late dinner." Their eyes met, his hopeful and warm. "I miss you, Jade."_

_Whatever magic had been cast on her, it was gone now, replaced by an overwhelming sadness. She shrugged her jacket it off and draped it across her arm, slowly meeting her husband's eyes. "You should have called."_

_Beck closed his eyes, a vein throbbing in his neck. "I did call." He ground out, his tone terse. '"What, are you busy or something?"_

"_You said you needed to talk." _

"_Fine." He snatched the plates off the table, stomped to the trash, and tossed them in, the glass shattering. "Fine," he sighed, combing his hair back, his attempts foiled. "We need to talk."_

_Jade felt bad. She knew he put a lot of effort into this- Beck hated cooking! She deflated, throwing herself into a chair and waiting for him to do the same. When it became apparent he had no intentions of joining her, she buried her face in her hands. "So talk."_

_Beck looked around the kitchen. It was empty. Ever since he moved his things out six months ago, Jade had yet to redecorate. The walls were bare, the cabinets empty. There were barely enough ingredients in the house to make a simple pasta. Funny all the little things he noticed now. _

"_How's work?" He asked._

_Jade groaned. She couldn't do this right now. He meant well but she just didn't have the patience nor the strength to dance around the subject. The mere mention of him physically drained her, made her weary. "Beck," she warned._

"_Have you met anyone?"_

_That got her attention. She straightened, searching his face for any give aways. There were none. He didn't become a successful detective because of his pretty hair. Although sometimes she had to wonder..._

"_Why do you ask?"_

_He shrugged. "It's just a question."_

_He was lying. "Are you having me followed?" His silence spoke louder than his words. "You're fucking sick, Beck!"_

"_I'm not having you followed." He snarled, his fingers working to loosen his tie. Good idea, he looked like he was about to burst. _

_She rolled her eyes. She had about as much as she would take from him. "If you came here to-"_

"_We have a lead on Shapiro."_

_The smug look he sent her made her stomach hurt. How did she ever end up with someone like him; temperamental, hot headed, stubborn, cocky. "You found him?"_

_A nod. "Yeah. He's staying here with a friend. He's hidden though. Word on the streets is he's here to bust out his brother."_

"_Rex Powers."_

"_Exactly."_

_Rex Powers. The name alone sent a cold chill down her spine. A hardened criminal, a psychopath, the man responsible for her nightmares. "How-" she croaked, her mouth suddenly dry._

_Beck poured a glass of water and joined her at the table. He waited until she finished and gave him the go ahead before continuing. _

"_We can't get to Shapiro directly. He has ears and eyes everywhere. We have to work our way to him. There's this kid, they call him DJ, works for him, takes care of business upstairs. Handles the money."_

"_An undercover op?"_

_Oh no. She knew THAT look. "Not exactly..."_

"_Spit it out."_

_Beck toyed with his fingers, tracing the patterns on the table cloth as he sought a way to explain things. He didn't see any out. "DJ is good at keeping his hands clean. We can't take him in... But his girlfriend..."_

"_So help me god if you don't come out and say it."_

"_She's got a rap sheet the length of a toilet paper roll. We just picked her up a few minutes ago and Cat was the arresting officer."_

_Of course Cat would be in on this. She should have known. The redhead was the sweetest girl she knew, but she didn't know when to let things go. When she and Beck separated she was devastated, doing everything in her power to stop them._

_Even now, she constantly bugged her about it. It made her wonder if there were some unrequited feelings going on._

"_Hmm... Beck? What does this have to do with me?"_

"_She's getting probation, Jade..." He gave her a minute, but if he knew Jade at all then it wouldn't take her that long to connect the dots. "We need you to get close to her, make her trust you-"_

"_Lie to some kid to get close to her boyfriend..."_

"_Basically."_

_Jade drummed her fingers against her leg. "In what universe does that sound remotely humane to you?"_

"_It's for a good cause. Jade?" His tone demanded her attention. "We can't let Rex Powers back out on the streets. He's not a good guy."_

"_Maybe he's just misunderstood."_

_That was obviously the wrong thing to say. Beck jerked out of his seat, his face livid. "He's an asshole! The worst of the worst! He's fucking evil!"_

"_There's more than one way to be evil, Beck."_

_Her words stung him, like fresh wounds doused in alcohol. "He beat you." He said, his hands shaking as he fought to control his anger, "He beat you and tortured you and left you for dead."_

"_I know what he did. I was there, remember? Where were you?" Gone. Off with Alyssa Vaughn cheating behind her back._

_It still hurt. Even now, even as she kept telling herself it didn't bother her._

_Beck paled, unsteady on his feet. His jaw worked itself, the muscles in his face twitching. "I already spoke to your boss. You're doing it. End of discussion." He snatched up his jacket, his boots loud as they clicked against the floorboards. "Be ready for her Monday morning."_

_Jade stared at the door long after he left, her mind caught up in a frenzy._

"_I need a drink," she decided, why let perfectly good champagne go to waste? Taking a glass she filled it to the brim before taking it and making her way to her bedroom. She didn't bother with changing, too damn tired to do anything but lay down._

_The coolness of the sheet coupled with their scent released some of the tension in her muscles and soothed her mind..._

_'I had a great time tonight. I hope we can do it again.' She pressed send. She had half a mind to go back to the bar and find Tori. _

_What's that about absence making the heart grow fonder? She smiled to herself, picturing the beautiful Latina's grinning face and sparkling eyes. _

* * *

><p>Awkward silence, loaded silence, more awkward silence. Some pointed glaring for good measure. How did this happen? It almost seemed too cruel to be true. Jade West- her Jade West- was her new probation officer. Good times all around.<p>

Except they weren't. Far from it. About as far as the moon. Big distance. Because Jade refused to look at her, refused to speak to her after her initial blow out.

She had every right to be mad- she lied about her age, about her life. But Jade lied, too! When she said she worked with kids she expected to find her sitting behind a desk at an elementary school teaching snotty nosed little brats how to wash their hands.

It just... sucked.

"Stop that."

Tori rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, head angled towards the door. She glared at the wall, pissed. But she DID stop clicking the pen. For all of five seconds.

"Really? You think that's mature?"

She shrugged noncommittally, biting back a snappy response.

Somehow, some way, with possibly the world's shittiest luck, she managed to wind up jonsing after a probation officer- A probation officer who happened to be the same woman she was seeing for the last month or so. The same woman who bought her drinks and made her laugh, held her hand, whispered in her ear...

Officer Jade West was at a lose. But she wasn't about to show it. Working here is like a game of poker- keep a straight face and act like you'[re winning. Even when you're not. Was this rebellious teenager with a rotten attitude and a record as thick as leather really the same person she met at the bar? It couldn't be. That woman- girl, that GIRL had a good head on her shoulders, smart, sharp, and pleasant as a light summer rain.

This—this brat getting dirt on her desk and chewing her gum like a mad cow couldn't be her. But alas, there it was, right there in front of her. This girl was the same girl she'd shared intimate moments with. This kid was also the girl Beck wanted her to exploit.

_Fuck...It's like something straight out of a soap opera._

Tori studied the woman from the corner of her eye. Green eyes, pale skin, dark hair with blue, red, and blonde streaks. Piercings, tattoos, killer smile. Same Jade. Except not really. The Jade she met at the bar was nice, charming, fun to be around. This dragon of a lady was the complete opposite.

So why was her heart racing every time she glared at her? Why where her palms working up a sweat? There was only one person who induced that kind of reaction from her-

"I guess now you know why I stood you up Saturday..."

Jade sputtered, hot coffee spilling everywhere. She glared daggers at the smirking brunette, hands fumbling for the box of tissue at the foot of her desk. If she was looking to get a reaction out of her- well congratulations!

Tossing the soiled tissue into the trashcan, Jade leaned back into her chair, eyes closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose in attempt to put the throbbing pain at bay. A Jade in pain was an unhappy Jade, as Cat liked to say.

Tori tapped her foot impatiently. She must have met with a dozen probation officers in the last five years. None of them had ever made her feel this uncomfortable. She could feel the woman studying her, her gaze as smoldering and intense as she remembered it.

Several minutes passed, Tori growing frustrated as Jade grew increasingly worried.

She bought alcohol for a minor. She made out with a 17 year old girl! In her defense, that was a mighty fine fake ID she sported, she doubted even Cat would have been able to tell the difference. She could have fooled the best of them! She didn't come off as a kid, not in the least, and even now with a pout on her face and that classic 'I will not bow' defiant teenage glower she could tell there was so much more to her.

Sometimes Officer West hated her life.

"Cat tells me this isn't your first time getting busted."

Tori frowned, eying the woman. She wore simple jeans with a thin cream colored long sleeve. At least that hadn't changed- her practicality. It was a small comfort in light of the situation.

"Read the file."

Jade cocked a shapely brow. Tori swallowed. "Files don't tell you everything."

"That one does."

"Are you always so pleasant?"

"Do you always go to the bar to pick up younger chicks?" Tori snapped and immediately regretted it. The look of shock on Jade's face outweighed only by the sudden flash of panic in her dark eyes. That was way out of line, even for her. She sighed, shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Momentarily stunned, Jade recovered quickly and set about finding the documents to request a transfer. This wasn't going to work.

Tori watched her fumble about, bothered by what she said. And who in their right mind wouldn't be? If officer Valentine had shown up a few minutes earlier, if Jade left a few minutes later... She didn't even want to think about it.

"Cat said you're her best friend." Lame attempt at conversation but she just couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"We went to high school together." The officer grunted, the pen in her hand flying across the paper.

"She's something else..." She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. "She's just how you described her."

Jade jerked her head up and found herself breathless, those dark bottomless eyes sucking her in. They were the reason she'd been attracted to the Latina in the first place. She'd never seen someone with such deep brown eyes. So mysterious, just begging for someone to come explore.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything inappropriate that I said, and everything inappropriate that I did." Boy did she do inappropriate things. Was it bad that she didn't regret it? Not for one second. Even now a battle waged inside her, torn between what she felt now and how she'd felt sitting across from this girl at the bar, their knuckles brushing under the table as she told her another one of her lame jokes.

Tori blushed ducking behind a curtain of chocolate curls. "You weren't the only one."

And again that heavy, loaded silence. It was quickly becoming a common occurrence for them.

"I don't, you know."

"Huh?"

"Pick up...people... at the bar."

Tori felt that familiar rush of blood to her face. "I tend to say fucked up things. It's a thing. Please, don't take me seriously." She felt herself growing angry at the whole situation. "This is just really screwed up, Jade."

Jade felt her lips twitch. Something about the way she said her name soothed her.

"Tell me about it."

Tori drummed her fingers against her leg. She was restless. "So..."

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." Jade grinned, eliciting a warm, throaty chuckle from her.

"Seriously though."

"Ask away."

A nod. A contemplative look in her eyes. "What were you doing? You know, that night we met?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well you said you weren't there to pick anyone up. And you weren't there with friends. So what were you doing?"

Jade got this far away look in her eyes, like her mind was traveling away to some very distant memory. Tori knew that look all to well. She was shutting down, clamming up.

"Victoria-"

"Don't call me that." She warned. "That was my mother's name."

"Tori," she amended, "Listen. I'll put in a request for transfer. You have six months on probation and frankly things are going to be awkward between us. There's plenty of well qualified officers in this division. I'm sure we can find someone you'll like."

"Um, sure." Tori stuttered, caught off guard by Jade's sudden change in attitude.

_She wants you out._

Well that was just fine by her.

"Okay." Jade flashed a strained smile.

"You shouldn't force yourself to smile. I've seen you before and you look so much prettier when it reaches your eyes."

"I would have done something stupid that night if I hadn't met you..." Tori met her gaze, confused by her announcement. Jade sighed, cradling her head in her hands. "My husband and I are separated, have been for almost a year now. I thought we just needed some space..." She chuckled dryly, even now she couldn't believe it, that the relationship she worked so hard for crumbled so easily. "You must think I'm a shitty person."

The door swung open, a head of vivid red hair showing itself. "How's it going in here?" Cat smiled, hopeful.

Tori sighed and sunk back into her seat, just when they were getting somewhere, too. Jade shot her a look that said 'be nice.' "Hey Cat," she waved the redhead over . The woman practically bounced in, claiming a seat.

Jade took a look at the two women, one smiling like an idiot while the other looked ready to fold into herself; one bright, radiating, the others' mood as dark as her hair. Cat had changed out of her uniform into a tan leather jacket and a jean skirt; Tori wore dark skinny jeans and a green baseball tee that read 'Respect My Authority.' They were polar opposites and it got her thinking.

While someone like Cat was the perfect best friend material, she couldn't imagine waking up next to her in bed or sharing a quiet, romantic dinner with her. Mostly because Cat wasn't quiet. And as far as Tori went, her personality would never fit in with her group of friends back in high school yet she was exactly the type she would have gone for- quiet, mysterious, apart from the crowd.

"So what do you think of Jade, Tori?"

Jade snapped out of her thoughts, interested to hear what the girl thought.

Tori shifted, uncomfortable. She hated being put on the spot.

Cat waited patiently, amused by the squirming brunette. She didn't like attention; the type to stand at the back of the group and listen in rather than join in. She knew her kind all too well...

"Whatever." _Stick to what you know. _"Can I go now?"

"Nope." Cat grinned. "Jade, what do you think of our friend new Tori here?"

Jade didn't miss a beat. "I think we're gonna have a lot of fun." The tell tell pins and pricks of a wicked stare stabbed at her back. She ignored it with practiced ease. "But first I have to finish this paperwork. Would you mind taking her back to school?"

Cat climbed to her feet, smoothing out her skirt as she did. "Looks like you got your wish. Come on," she placed a friendly arm around the frowning brunette's shoulders, "I'm starving. Let's get some lunch. I'll buy. Jade, you want anything?"

"The usual. Thanks Cat. Ms. Vega, I'll see you tomorrow after school?"

Tori snorted, "Do I have a choice?"

"Not if you want to stay out of Juvie, no."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She mumbled breaking free of the cop's grasp. "I'll wait by the door."

Jade watched her trudge out of her office in all her sulking, teenage glory. Cat raised a skeptical brow at her.

"Teenagers," she said, "always so dramatic."

"We were worse." Cat smirked at Jade's shocked expression. "Catch you later, West."

...

"Ready?"

Tori turned towards the peppy voice, then followed the officer's lead. Cracking the door open she slipped into the warm leather seat and crossed her arms over her chest, cell phone cradled against her side.

Cat slid into the driver's seat and stuck the key in the ignition. She slipped on a pair of dark glasses before swiveling around to face her unhappy companion. "You don't talk much, do you?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

She sighed. "Look, Tori, I know you don't want to be here. I get it, I really do. But the way I see it you have two choices. You can come visit your probation officer three times a week and make whatever boring small talk you have to get her to sign your papers. Or you can spend the next year locked up in a cage like a rabid animal. Trust me it's not as fun as it sounds."

"...I guess..." The teenager grumbled reluctantly.

She grinned, patting the girl's leg. "Really, Jade's not all that bad. You'll like her. I mean, yeah she can be a grouch and she's not half as fun as me, but she's alright."

Tori turned to look out the window, not willing to let her arresting officer see the smile threatening to split her face. Who smiles at the cop who put them behind bars anyway?

Her phone buzzed. Tossing a quick look in Cat's direction, she maneuvered the phone to get a better look. Butterflies tickled her tummy.

"Yeah," she breathed, settling into the seat thumbs flying over the keyboard. "She's not so bad."

* * *

><p>Jade slammed her fists against her desk sending pens, paperclips, and other materials scattering about. Work really wasn't the place to lose her cool but she figured after two years of so much stress she earned the right to one minor freak out.<p>

The hard, warm plastic of the office phone cut against her cheek, the constant -and still unanswered- ringing grating on her nerves.

"Oliver. Talk to me."

"Beck!"

"Jade?" Some mumbling. There must be others with him. Were they allowed to talk about this? Was she even supposed to know about it? "What's this about?"

"I'm not doing it."

"Wait." She rolled her eyes, listening to him usher away the occupants of his office. He sighed heavily. "What's the problem?"

He sounded tired, weary. She felt slightly guilty. But only for a second. This was the same guy who wanted her to exploit a 17 year old girl in order to get to her boyfriend.

"I'm not doing it. Tell Cat to find someone else."

"There is no one else."

"Damn it, Beck, I said find someone else!" She shouted. Her office held a particular design to it- its shape and bulletproof glass made it impossible for her coworkers to eavesdrop- a problem they'd dealt with in the past. Still, she forced herself to take a deep breath, calm down, and reevaluate the situation. Busting a vein never solved anything before. "She's 17, Beck. She's just a kid. There's no need to get her involved in this. We'll find some other way."

"You must really like her."

"Wh-what? What does that mean?"

"You just met her, Jade."

She felt dizzy with relief. He didn't know anything. "That doesn't change the fact that you're dragging a 17 year old kid into some crime war. The Beck I knew would never suggest something so careless. Not to mention dangerous."

"Sometimes you have to give a little to get a little."

"You would know all about that." Low blow. She couldn't help it. It was in her nature- strike before you get struck.

"If you have a better idea, be my guest. Until that happens, the arrangements are final."

The dial tone pierced the air, loud and obnoxious. She put the phone down, her actions automatic. It hit her- she wasn't getting out of this no matter how hard she tried. Beck had his sights set on Tori and there was absolutely nothing she could do to change that. It was a bad idea even before she knew her so called case was her date from the bar ; it's just plain horrible now. She would never agree to something so devious. Didn't Beck care who got hurt in the process?

_What kind of question is that?_

There was a time not so long ago when she could answer that question without pause, with confidence in her response. Beck wasn't completely heartless, he was just a man on a mission, and he slowly became consumed by his mission.

"Shit." It became clear. Despite previous protests, there seemed to be no other alternative. After all, could she really hand over Tori to some stranger and expect them to take care of her the way she would?

The loud crash startled her. She half expected Rex Powers to come crashing through the window because it was just her luck and it would be the cherry on top of a shit-tastic day if the psycho she put behind bars decided to drop by her office for a friendly visit.

It was nothing quite so dramatic. In her tirade she had taken her keys and thrown them against the picture frame on her desk. She strolled around the desk and stared at the classy black and white photo of her wedding. She and Beck were smiling like lunatics, looking really chummy, his arms around her shoulders in a way that spoke volumes of their relationship. Before they were girlfriend and boyfriend they were best friends, before they were husband and wife they were hopelessly in love.

The universe was speaking to her... This was an omen sent to warn her of an impending apocalypse!

_Dramatic much?_ Maybe, but only because this day couldn't possibly get any worse.

'Jade?' The secretary screeched over the intercom, 'Your dad's on line two.'

_You really have to stop jinxing yourself._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: <em>S'up homies? I just want to say thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, some of them cracked me up, others disturbed me, but all of them were awesome. **

**This chapter was a lil longer than my usual length but there's just a few things I wanted to get out of the way so I can start up all that Jori drama you all seem to love so much. I'm thinking this fic might have darker elements (You know- like an actual plot. Dun dunn dunnn! lol jk! you'll see what I mean.) **

** Again, I know it's AU but give it a shot, I may surprise you. **

**R&R? I'll give you a virtual lap dance ;) Or cookies which ever's cheaper. **


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